adjuvant

ad·ju·vant

(ad'jū-vănt),

1. A substance added to a drug product formulation that affects the action of the active ingredient in a predictable way.

2. immunology a vehicle used to enhance antigenicity; for example, a suspension of minerals (alum, aluminum hydroxide, or phosphate) on which antigen is adsorbed; or water-in-oil emulsion in which antigen solution is emulsified in mineral oil (Freund incomplete adjuvant), sometimes with the inclusion of killed mycobacteria (Freund complete adjuvant) to enhance antigenicity further (inhibits degradation of antigen and/or causes influx of macrophages).

3. Additional therapy given to enhance or extend primary therapy's effect, as in chemotherapy's addition to a surgical regimen.

4. A treatment added to a curative treatment to prevent recurrence of clinical cancer from microscopic residual disease.

[L. ad-juvo, pres. p. -juvans, to give aid to]

adjuvant

/ad·ju·vant/ (aj″dbobr-vant) (ă-joo´vant)

1. assisting or aiding.

2. a substance that aids another, such as an auxiliary remedy.

3. a nonspecific stimulator of the immune response.

aluminum adjuvant an aluminum-containing compound, such as aluminum hydroxide or alum, that by combining with soluble antigen forms a precipitate; slow release of the antigen from the precipitate on injection causes prolonged, strong antibody response.

adjuvant

1. A treatment that enhances an existing medical regimen, as a pharmacological agent added to a drug to increase or aid its effect.

2. An immunological agent that increases the antigenic response.

adj.

Contributing to or enhancing an existing medical regimen: adjuvant chemotherapy

adjuvant

[ad′jəvənt]

Etymology: L, ad + juvare, to help

1 a substance, especially a drug, added to a prescription to assist in the action of the main ingredient.

2 (in immunology) a substance added to an antigen that enhances or modifies the antibody response to the antigen.

3 an additional treatment or therapy.

Adjuvant

Referring to a management strategy used in addition to the primary therapy.Immunology A substance that enhances or diversifies the immune response; a nonspecific immune enhancer—e.g., Freund’s adjuvant, BCG vaccine—consisting of particulate-rich oily substances which promotes protein aggregation; adjuvant mixed with an antigen acts as a tissue depot, slowly releasing antigen and activating the immune system.Pharmacology A drug that modulates the actions of other drugs which, when added to a medication, enhances its pharmacologic effect. See Interference.

adjuvant

Immunology Any nonspecific immune enhancer–eg Freund's adjuvant, BCG vaccine, consisting of a particulate-rich oily substances, which promotes protein aggregation; adjuvant mixed with an antigen acts as a tissue depot, slowly releasing antigen and activating the immune system Oncology The addition of chemotherapy to a traditional therapeutic modality to ↓ M&M Pharmacology A substance which, when added to a medication, enhances its pharmacologic effect. See Neoadjutant.

ad·ju·vant

(ad'jū-vănt)

1. A substance added to a drug product formulation that affects the action of the active ingredient in a predictable way.

2. immunology A vehicle used to enhance antigenicity.

3. Additional therapy given to enhance or extend primary therapy's effect, such as in chemotherapy in addition to a surgical regimen.

4. A treatment added to a curative treatment to prevent recurrence of clinical cancer from microscopic residual disease.

[L. ad-juvo, pres. p. -juvans, to give aid to]

adjuvant

1. Any substance added to a drug to increase its effect.

2. Any substance which, added to an ANTIGEN, non-specifically increases its power to stimulate the production of antibodies (see ANTIBODY).

adjuvant

a substance added to enhance a physical or chemical property, e.g. adjuvants are commonly added to ANTIGENS, improving the IMMUNE RESPONSE in the recipient and thus increasing the production of ANTIBODIES.

adjuvant,

n a substance that improves the effectiveness of a medicine or enhances the ability to produce an immune response.

ad·ju·vant

(ad'jū-vănt)

1. Substance added to a drug product formulation that affects action of the active ingredient in a predictable way.

2. Additional therapy given to enhance or extend primary therapy's effect, as in chemotherapy's addition to a surgical regimen.

[L. ad-juvo, pres. p. -juvans, to give aid to]

adjuvant (aj´əvənt),

n an auxiliary active ingredient that supports the action of the basic drug. See also basis.

adjuvant

1. assisting or aiding.

2. a substance that aids another, such as an auxiliary remedy. Commonly used in reference to substances, commonly mineral oil or alum, added to vaccines to enhance antigenicity. See also freund's complete adjuvant.

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